diff --git a/xwayland/xwayland.c b/xwayland/xwayland.c
index d3bb41a0..2bec1b63 100644
--- a/xwayland/xwayland.c
+++ b/xwayland/xwayland.c
@@ -215,6 +215,10 @@ static bool wlr_xwayland_init(struct wlr_xwayland *wlr_xwayland,
 		wlr_xwayland_finish(wlr_xwayland);
 		return false;
 	}
+
+	// unset $DISPLAY while XWayland starts
+	unsetenv("DISPLAY");
+
 	wlr_xwayland->wl_fd[0] = -1; /* not ours anymore */
 
 	wlr_xwayland->destroy_listener.notify = xwayland_destroy_event;